The grant will support research into a newly identified population of myelin-producing glial cells that cross the boundary between the brain and spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Using zebrafish, researchers will investigate how these cells form myelin and whether myelin-producing cells can function beyond the region where they normally reside. The study could reveal new mechanisms of nerve repair and inform future approaches to treating neurological disorders involving myelin loss, including multiple sclerosis.

Engineers can precisely control thread length and add segments with positive and negative electrical charges. This arrangement determines how the material interacts with living cells. In cell culture studies, the dynamic structures enhanced the growth and maturation of neurons, increased synapse formation and dramatically boosted neuronal activity.

A rapidly evolving antibacterial therapy is a group of viruses called bacteriophages (phages), which attack and kill dangerous bacteria while leaving human cells unharmed. New research has revealed how bacteria detect and defend against viruses, paving the way for development of better phage therapies that can evade the bacterial immune system.